Foods of the future

PHOTOS: SHIOK MEATS, EAT JUST, FLOAT FOODS, ANTS INNOVATE, TURTLETREE LABS, SOPHIE’S BIONUTRIENTS, ASIA INSECT FARM SOLUTIONS, NATURE’S FYND STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS

People in Singapore will be the �rst in the world to taste lab-grown meat, as cell-cultured chicken nuggets will soon be on menus here. Shabana Begum highlights the companies and research involved in foods of the future, from insects to algae.

(From left) Shrimp spheres, lobster gazpacho and lobster terrine

Float Foods

• The liquid egg white and spherical yolk made from legumes come as separate components

Progress• Float Foods will launch the whole egg, called OnlyEg, in the �rst quarter of 2022• The company will roll out its plant-based egg patty and shredded egg next year• It is working with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) to increase the protein level of OnlyEg to ensure a higher nutritional value. The egg will have no cholesterol and be hormone and antibiotic-free

Cell-cultured pork cuts• Spun off from A*Star in May this year, Ants Innovate is South-east Asia’s �rst cultivated whole meat cut company, compared with most other companies, which are producing mince• Pig cells are multiplied in a nutrient media, and are put onto cellular “scaffolding”. The �rm’s proprietary technology layers and stacks the cells, arranging them into whole cuts of meat, such as pork chops and shoulders • The technology recreates the structure and mouthfeel of meat

Progress• The company created its �rst meat snack prototype in June• It is aiming to launch its cultivated meat snack and cutlet late next year. The company is also looking to produce meat cuts like steak and pork belly by 2022 or 2023

• Founded last year, it is believed to be the �rst company in the world to create raw milk from cells• Mammary stem cells are extracted from the milk of mammals, such as cows• The cells are grown and exposed to a special formula that causes them to lactate• The cells will adhere to the outside of long tubes that have lactation media �owing through them. • Milk then �ows out of the other end of the tube, and is obtained through �ltration

Progress• The company will be setting up its pilot facility in Singapore next year

Ants Innovate

• Last Wednesday, the Californian start-up announced that it received regulatory approval from the Singapore authorities to sell the chicken here• The cell-cultured nuggets would cost as much as premium chicken in restaurants• In October, Eat Just announced a $160 million facility in Singapore to produce its plant-based eggs made from mung beans. The egg products are available as a liquid scramble and folded egg patties

Eat Just’s chicken bites and plant-based liquid egg

Sophie’s Bionutrients

• The �rm has produced two types of protein �ours made from the fermentation of microalgae• The protein �our can be used in any food types, from burger patties to crab cakes• The fermentation process can bring out certain �avours like the signature taste of seafood• Microalgae is grown and fermented in a bioreactor, and once harvested after three days, the protein is extracted• Microalgae is a nutrient-rich green �lled with minerals, vitamin B and even Omega-3

Progress• The company completed 10,000 litres of fermentation in February, and will be running its �rst facility at Science Park 2in the second quarter of next year• It is in talks with a client that could potentially use the �our to producechicken essence

• Insects are considered a superfood• The local agri-tech company sells ground up crickets made into a �our that can give cookies, bread and cakes a protein boost. The �our starts at $7 per 100g• The company infuses cricket powder in spices such as curry powder • Insect-based food for humans is more common abroad: A Cambodia-based insect snack company recently launched roasted black soldier �y larvae, called Bug Bacon• The roasted grub, packaged like chips, comes with various seasonings such as sweet maple and BBQ• Crickster – a company in Denmark –sells items such as freeze-dried buffalo worms and crunchy mealworm snacks• Such edible insects are packed with high-quality proteins and vitamins, and use less space when farmed

• Fungi protein found in volcanic hot springs• A microbe fungi, Fusarium strain �avolapis, was extracted from the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park• Fermentation is used to convert it into a protein, called Fy, which is harvested into a solid, liquid or powder that can be used in food and drinks• The Fy protein contains all 20 amino acids

Progress• The company began production early this year at its factory in Chicago• It is planning to produce “a hamburger equivalent” next year

Asia Insect Farm Solutions

Nature’s Fynd (United States)

Shiok Meats

scramble and folded egg patties

research involved in foods of the future, from insects to algae.

(From left) Shrimp spheres, lobster gazpacho and lobster terrine

• Last Wednesday, the Californian start-up announced that it received regulatory approval from the Singapore authorities to sell the chicken here• The cell-cultured nuggets would cost as much as premium chicken in restaurants• In October, Eat Just announced a $160 million facility in Singapore to produce its plant-based eggs made from mung beans. The egg products are available as a liquid scramble and folded egg patties

Shiok Meats

Eat Just’s chicken bites and plant-based liquid egg

Sophie’s Bionutrients

Cell-cultured pork cuts

• Founded last year, it is believed to be the �rst company in the world to create raw milk from cells• Mammary stem cells are extracted from the milk of mammals, such as cows• The cells are grown and exposed to a special formula that causes them to lactate• The cells will adhere to the outside of long tubes that have lactation media �owing through them. • Milk then �ows out of the other end of the tube, and is obtained through �ltration

Progress• The company will be setting up its pilot facility in Singapore next year

Lab-grown seafood• The �rst cell-based meat company in South-east Asia, formed in 2018 • Creates crustacean meats such as shrimp, lobster and crab from the animals’ cells, and multiplies the cells in a “culture media” solution �lled with nutrients• Shrimp meat takes between four and six weeks before it can be harvested, and lobster meat takes longer

Progress• It debuted its lab-grown shrimp dumplings in March last year• Last month, it showcased its cell-based lobster meat in two dishes - a terrine and its lobster �avouring in a gazpacho• It hopes to launch a crab prototype in afew months• Its prawn meat now costs US$3,500 per kg, and the start-up is hoping to reduce the cost to US$50 per kg in 2022, when the novel seafood will be sold to businesses like restaurants • It is looking to build a manufacturing plant in Senoko by 2022

• Both egg products cost about US$5 (S$7)• The production facility will meet the demand for the company’s arti�cial eggs across Asia• The chicken bites will also be manufactured in Singapore

• Insects are considered a superfood• The local agri-tech company sells ground up crickets made into a �our that can give cookies, bread and cakes a protein boost. The �our starts at $7 per 100gcookies, bread and cakes a protein boost. The �our starts at $7 per 100gcookies, bread and cakes a protein boost.

Asia Insect Farm Solutions

• Clean, sustainable and cruelty-free, alternative proteins – from lab-grown meat to microbes found in extreme volcanic environments – are set to be part of the future human diet.

• With the world’s population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, innovation and creativity are needed to invent more sustainable ways to remain nourished.

• Companies that produce proteins through fermentation of algae and fungi, for one, believe their technologies will be used in space someday.

• But more research must be done to be certain that food churned out of labs will stick to their promise of low carbon.

• Singapore is making good progress in the use of alternative proteins, but what also matters is the buy-in of the public.

Cells from cow’s milk will adhere to the outside of the tubes in the petri dish

Cell-cultured meat snack

Plant-based patties made with microalgae protein

The �our starts at $7 per 100gThe company infuses cricket powder in

spices such as curry powder Insect-based food for humans is more

common abroad: A Cambodia-based insect snack company recently launched roasted black soldier �y larvae, called Bug Bacon

The roasted grub, packaged like chips, comes with various seasonings such as

a company in Denmark –sells items such as freeze-dried buffalo worms and crunchy

year at its factory in Chicago• It is planning to produce “a hamburger equivalent” next year

Insects are considered a superfoodThe local agri-tech company sells ground

up crickets made into a �our that can give cookies, bread and cakes a protein boost. The �our starts at $7 per 100gcookies, bread and cakes a protein boost. The �our starts at $7 per 100gcookies, bread and cakes a protein boost.

Nature’s Fynd’s CEO Thomas

Jonas folding the Fy protein

Cricket �our

Egg made from legumes

TurtleTree Labs